Word-of-Mouth Research: Principles and Applications DEE T. ALLSOP Word of mouth (WOM) is an important component of a complex and dynamic Harris Interactive marketplace environment, and as such, WOM research is best undertaken as part of dallsop@harris interactive.com a holistic research program. Five principles describing the operation of WOM are discussed, supported by data, and examples drawn from recent research studies. BRYCE R. BASSETT Complexity science modeling is introduced as an effective method for simulating the Harris Interactive bbassett@harris real-world operation of WOM in a given market category and identifying ways in which interactive.com marketers can influence it to their advantage. Key business issues where WOM JAMES A. HOSKINS research can inform decision making are listed. Harris Interactive jhoskins@harris interactive.com INTRODUCTION PDAs, text messaging, instant messaging, and blogs Abundant research demonstrates that word of have made sharing information and opinions eas- mouth (WOM) is one of the most influential chan- ier than ever before. Table 1, based on the Annual nels of communication in the marketplace. The RQSM (Reputation Quotient) study from Harris reasons for WOM’s power are evident: word of Interactive (Harris Interactive, 2006b), shows the mouth is seen as more credible than marketer- penetration of several new media channels. initiated communications because it is perceived It does not take a sophisticated research ap- as having passed through the unbiased filter of proach to confirm that WOM plays a role in a given “people like me.” At a time of declining trust in category. But to understand how WOM operates and institutions, research shows that its influence is why—so you can leverage it to your advantage— growing stronger. requires digging deeper. We will argue that WOM In a recent national survey (Harris Interactive, is a complex phenomenon that must be under- 2006a), U.S. consumers were asked which infor- stood not in isolation, but in the context of a dy- mation sources they find useful when deciding namic marketplace. As such, WOM research is rarely which products to buy in four common product a stand-alone effort, but rather part of a program of categories. WOM and “recommendations from research to address a broader business problem. friends/family/people at work/school” were by Research and analyses of WOM is still an emerg- far the most influential sources for fast food, cold ing field. Over the past few years, social scientists medicine, and breakfast cereal. For personal com- and marketing practitioners have made important puters, a highly technical category, we saw a strong strides in describing the components and struc- reliance on expert advice in the form of product ture of WOM interactions. reviews and websites, followed by WOM as the Our focus in consulting with clients on WOM next most useful. for a number of years has been to provide our While WOM has always played an important clients with insights into the components of WOM role in the formation of consumer opinions, over that are most important to business problems and the past decade it has become an even more into measuring those components effectively. Based powerful force, due to a technology-driven explo- on this experience, we have formulated a point of sion in the number and types of informal commu- view and an approach to measuring and analyz- nication channels. Email, the internet, cell phones, ing WOM activities. 398 JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH December 2007 DOI: 10.2501/S0021849907070419 WORD-OF-MOUTH RESEARCH TABLE 1 its stakeholders belong and how they op- New Media Usage erate, so it can influence the spread of positive WOM and minimize the damage Please Indicate How Frequently You Perform Percent “Very Frequently” of negative WOM. the Following Activities or “Frequently” As we think about WOM, we are guided ............................................................................................................................................................. by the following principles. Keeping them Forward information found on the internet to 59% firmly in mind can help businesses make colleagues, peers, family, or friends ............................................................................................................................................................. better decisions surrounding WOM and Read newspapers online 48% ............................................................................................................................................................. what they should do about it, rather than Read magazines online 25% ............................................................................................................................................................. blindly jumping on the “buzz” bandwagon. Read a blog 24% ............................................................................................................................................................. PRINCIPLE #1 Listen to radio feeds via the internet 23% ............................................................................................................................................................. Participate in an online community, such as 22% Not all social networks are equal, and not myspace.com or friendster.com ............................................................................................................................................................. all individuals in a given social network Use PVR technology, such a TiVo or DVR 22% have equal influence. ............................................................................................................................................................. View or post videos on a website, such as youtube.com 17% ............................................................................................................................................................. We have all seen headlines suggesting Listen to satellite radio 16% ............................................................................................................................................................. that 1 in 10 Americans influences the opin- Create or participate in a blog 13% ............................................................................................................................................................. ions of the rest of the population. Subscribe to a podcast 6% In his popular book The Tipping Point, ............................................................................................................................................................. Malcolm Gladwell wrote about three per- Create a podcast 2% ............................................................................................................................................................. sonality types (mavens, connectors, and sales- Source: Harris Interactive Annual RQsm. Base ϭ 6,205 U.S. adults (18ϩ) familiar with one or more of the 10 “most men) who play a key role in causing visible” U.S. companies. messages to spread (Gladwell, 2000). While there do seem to be some of these “special” individuals, their exis- This article will: tant role in this system, but it is only one tence cannot fully explain the pervasive- of many things going on, including fac- ness or the mechanics of WOM. As Dave • outline some general principles by which tors you control (such as marketing and Balter writes in his book, Grapevine: WOM operates, promotion) and others you can not con- • share some data from ongoing research trol (like the economy and competitors). Everybody talks about products and ser- to bring some of these principles to life, Starting with this panoramic view helps vices, and they talk about them all the • present a framework for understand- us set realistic expectations about what time. Word of mouth is NOT about iden- ing the major components of WOM, can and cannot be accomplished through tifying a small subgroup of highly influ- • describe the use of complexity science WOM marketing. ential or well-connected people to talk up a modeling techniques to measure the rel- The success of the enterprise depends product or service. It’s not about mavens ative impact of WOM and to identify on building bonds (of familiarity, favor- or bees or celebrities or people with special- actions that will maximize positive ability, loyalty, etc.) with its key stakehold- ist knowledge. It’s about everybody. (Bal- WOM, and ers, first and foremost its customers. Those ter and Butman, 2005). • identify business problems that can be individual stakeholders, in turn, take part solved through WOM research and in multiple social networks, where they Columbia University Sociology Profes- analysis. influence each other (through WOM) in sor Duncan Watts agrees, arguing what THEORY AND FOUNDATION the formation of attitudes and behaviors he calls the “influentials hypothesis” is The consumer marketplace in which any that can either strengthen or weaken these based on untested assumptions and in enterprise operates is a complex, dynamic bonds. It is critical for the enterprise to most cases does not match how diffusion system. Word of mouth plays an impor- understand the social networks to which operates in the real world. He observes December 2007 JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH 399 WORD-OF-MOUTH RESEARCH that “most social change is driven not by What is important is to understand how the specific